The present invention relates to overlay panels mounted on appliances and to methods for mounting such panels.
Appliances, such as refrigeration appliances, typically have a cabinet with a movable panel, such as a door or a drawer, to access the interior space of the appliance. These panels have an interior side which is not visible when the panel is closed and an exterior side which remains visible when the panel is closed. The exterior side of the panel, which may be a metal or plastic material is typically painted, coated or colored to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. In some cases, an additional overlay panel is attached to the appliance panel to provide a different appearance or for some other reason, as selected or desired by a consumer of the appliance or by the manufacturer or seller. It is known to attach such overlay panels to the appliance panel via brackets or other support members, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,326 at elements 28, 29, 50 and 58 utilizing threaded fasteners for the brackets that remain visible from the exterior of the appliance, detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the appliance. European Patent Application 0 647 821 A1 discloses a refrigeration appliance in which an overlay panel is held onto the door of the appliance utilizing a bracket and threaded fasteners, with cover plates, which remain visible from the exterior of the appliance, being used to hide the threaded fasteners. U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,021 discloses a door for a refrigeration appliance in which the door has an inner door and an outer door. A coupling mechanism is provided between the outer and inner doors and the shell of the appliance such that the outer door is forced to one side and away from the axis of the hinges when the inner door is opened. The outer door is secured to a hinge bracket via threaded fasteners 25 and 27. The coupling mechanism and at least the threaded fastener 27 remains visible both from the top of the appliance when the door is closed and at a back or interior side of the door when the door is opened.
It would be an improvement in the art if an appliance panel were provided wherein an overlay panel could be attached, in a removable and replaceable manner, and wherein the attachment mechanism is not visible when the appliance is normally used, both with the door opened and closed.